Students tell Mesa board transitions are hard; Mesa Distant Learning Program helps some accelerate coursework

Three Mesa Public Schools students addressed the Governing Board during a student advisory presentation on May 20, describing the social and academic challenges of stepping up from elementary to junior high and offering suggestions for supports.

Sophie Stewart, a seventh grader at Kino Junior High, said moving from a small elementary to a larger junior high can be confusing and overwhelming: "It can be challenging to go to different classes because you may get lost or confused on where to go," Sophie said. She emphasized that positive relationships and access to counselors helped her navigate profanity and behavioral issues, chaotic transitions between classes, and the loss of recess. Sophie told the board she relied on counselors and staff and suggested flexible supports and early exposure to college and career opportunities.

Eliza (eighth grade, Rhodes) described tours, campus maps and student council orientation as helpful for incoming sixth-graders, but said many newcomers still cling to existing friend groups at first and must be encouraged to meet new people. She credited Rhodes''s student council and planned tours for easing transitions.

Merrick Davis (Mesa High School student who used MDLP while attending Mesa High) focused on the Mesa Distant Learning Program (MDLP). Merrick told the board that MDLP allowed him to complete courses faster and to take higher-level classes earlier: "MDLP is the main reason how I was able to become ... study pre-calc as a freshman," he said. Merrick described MDLP benefits: flexible pacing, easy access to materials and an expanded course variety (he noted a bowling course offered as a PE option). He urged better outreach and lower costs, saying he learned about MDLP only because his father is a teacher. Board members asked follow-up questions about social ramifications for students who use MDLP exclusively and about outreach and cost reductions; Merrick said he preferred MDLP as a supplement to in-person school rather than as a full-time replacement.

Board members asked students whether campus tours and maps were sufficient; presenters and principals said tours help but recommended better timing and clearer maps. Keno staff reported declining discipline data after focused work on culture and follow-through. The student presentations were framed by district staff as part of listening and planning for step-up supports across schools.

No formal district action was taken as a result of the presentation; the board used the session to ask questions and to thank the students for their perspectives.